The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has reached a settlement agreement and final order with Ventura Locker, a custom exempt locker in Ventura, IA. As part of the agreement the company’s license will be temporarily suspended from Feb. 1, 2103 to Feb. 28, 2013.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has reached a settlement agreement and final order with Ventura Locker, a custom exempt locker in Ventura, IA. As part of the agreement the company’s license will be temporarily suspended from Feb. 1, 2103 to Feb. 28, 2013.

Following the suspension Ventura Locker may request reinstatement of its license if it passes an inspection by the Department’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Bureau and meets other requirements outlined in the settlement agreement with the Department.

As part of the agreement Ventura Locker does not admit or deny any of the alleged violations cited by the Department. Also, the company can obtain a retail food establishment license from the Cerro Gordo Department of Public Health for retail sales of meat.

The Department’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Bureau is responsible for inspection of custom exempt lockers. Livestock slaughtered under the custom exemption is not inspected, the products from these animals are marked “NOT FOR SALE”, and returned for the exclusive use in the home of the owner, by him and members of his household and his nonpaying guests and employees. Under the retail exemption these facilities may purchase state or federal inspected raw materials for further processing into retail sales.